Caregivers

An update to the Robert Wood Johnson 2002 chartbook examines the impact of chronic conditions on individuals and their caregivers, and the inadequacies of the U.S. health care system to meet their needs. According to the author, care for people with chronic conditions is not coordinated, leading to unnecessary service use. Included among his recommendations is the encouragement and support of patient self-management and family caregiving. Also attached is a presentation with supporting data.

A Southwestern Pennsylvania demonstration program has been initiated to promote relationship-centered care for elders and people living with disabilities in need of home and community-based services and supports. It involves a series of five three-day train-the-trainer programs based on the state model for personal care aides (PCAs). Included are the announcement and a fact sheet on direct-care workers in Pennsylvania.

How are states integrating American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded on-the-job training into their MIG grant programs? Utah created presentations to train new on-the-job training employees. Three of these presentations are attached. Topics include building employer relationships, schedule A, and successful job development. These presentations could be a good example for other states seeking to do the same.

Review materials generated by the Central Texas ADRC providing information about the program, and many state-specific forms and documentation. Also included is a detailed Guidebook for participants in their Veteran-Directed Home and Community Based Services program. These materials (guidebook, sample budgets, emergencies, employment forms, job descriptions and trainings) can be used as templates for other states involved in similar initiatives.

Looking for a clear and concise summary of an existing MIG grant program? Attached is the Arizona Employment and Disability Partnership MIG Grant Fact Sheet which outlines, among other things, the programs’ goal, its approach, 2010 planned initiatives, and its AHCCCS Freedom to Work evaluation and member survey. This document could serve as a helpful guide to other states contemplating a MIG program or accessing an existing program.

Many assume that most of the long-term care population is elderly. Not so, according to this study. About half of community-dwelling Americans needing long-term care are younger than sixty five. Research and data collection focusing solely on older adults with long-term care needs misses half of the story. Recommendations of the study include a redistribution in long-term care spending from institutional to non-institutional settings, and from agencies to independent providers.

View a presentation given by consultants to explain the VD-HCBS program to veterans once they are enrolled. It delineates the target populations and roles played by the veterans, AAA VD-HCBS staff, and financial management services. Also included is a sample budget sheet.

How has New Hampshire used its MIG funds to support the career goals of individuals with disabilities? One approach was to develop training tools for job developers and administrative staff who are interested in hiring, training and supporting employees with disabilities. The following examples include a survey, staff certification information and a brochure for a series of workshops. These are available here for other states who have, or are interested in implementing similar programs.

This 15-page slide presentation, summarizes the need for the Medicaid Buy-In Program in Hawaii, called “Hire Abilities”. This presentation outlines the program’s goals, recent successes, need for the MIG option, enrollment, cost and more. It also looks at the national MIG picture and could be a helpful resource for other states.

Hawaii’s Medicaid Infrastructure Grant held a benefits planning workshop in 2008 to inform the community about ways for disability beneficiaries to return to work. Case managers, consumers and benefits planners were invited to attend. At the conclusion, they were asked to rate their satisfaction with the overall workshop and with each session. The agenda and satisfaction results are presented here. It’s data that could prove helpful to any state interested in planning successful workshops.